german colour theory?

[arethinn]

I bought some modelling wax from a catalog recently, and it happened to have come originally from Germany (the wax, that is). In the box was a fold-out showing a few photos of kids playing with the wax and some sample figures that had been made from it, but also this:



About all I understand is the names of the colours, and "Light", "Shade", "Heaven", "Earth", and some of the other words around the picture, so I'm going to have to take the time to translate the rest at some point. I'm pretty curious what relevance discussion of Goethe has to coloured wax that is mainly intended as a toy for children.

Comments

[juuro.livejournal.com]

Oh, Goethe definitely is relevant. After all, he did conceive a color theory that links colors with elements and emotions. Goethe is definitely known for his pursuits in natural philosophy as well. The text, and quote therein, say practically nothing concrete about his color theory, though.

[arethinn]

There's an additional page or two of text after that which I didn't post for dullness reasons. I got an email from someone I know which had a translation of what's shown and if (as I seem to recall) it's because she knows German, I may ask her about the rest of it.

[juuro.livejournal.com]

I can read German, but my translationability is a bit shaky; it is as if the two languages are in entirely separate compartments of the mind. But I might give it a shot later, if you feel it would be helpful.

Wax und Uberwax -- probably way more than you wanted to know

[illuviel.livejournal.com]

Anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner founded a school for children of employees of the Waldorf-Astoria cigar factory in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919. This was the first Kindergarten (and was the basis for today's kindergartens, though standard American public school pedagogic theory and practice has changed over the years). Today, schools based on his model are called Waldorf or Steiner schools.

Anthroposophy is an esoteric religion with roots in Christianity, Theosophy and Goethe's writings. "[Though, w]hile Anthroposophy forms the theoretical basis to the teaching methods used in Waldorf schools, it is not taught to the students," says an Australian Steiner schools site.

Waldorf/Steiner critics. Some Steiner quotesthat form the basis for some of the criticism.

As for why Goethe is relevant in connection to colored wax -- the cirriculum is highly art-based, and the art instruction is based (as are all other subjects)on anthroposophical princples. Wet-in-wet watercolor paintings using only primary colors, handwork (esp. knitting)and modeling with beeswax are part of the lessons in the schools.

Steiner writes on color and art.

Trivia points:

The band Eurhythmics is named after eurhythmy, a component of Waldorf education and the anthroposophical movement.

Weleda, the health and beauty aids company, was founded in 1921 by Swiss doctors and pharmacists working under Steiner's anthroposophic guidance.

There're some nice supplies and toys made for Waldorf kids:
Paper Scissors Stone
Hearthsong

---

Why do I know this stuff?
I found Waldorf cirriculum when I was looking into formal homeschooling materials. I didn't do so. For while I like some of the ideas -- first-hand observation in the natural world for science, lots of handwork and song and whimsy (my kids learned the mathemetatical operations from a Waldorf story involving gnomes ... LOTS of gnomes in Waldorf schools), and the seeming free-form gentle nature of it all, I decidedly DON'T like the "metagenetic" theories in anthroposophy seems to be based upon : humans the end-all be all of nature, and white people the pinnacle of human achievement (read the questionable quotes above), as well as some of the other points of anthroposophic idealogy. As well, the format of the lessons is too rigid and dogmatic, for all it appears to be sweetness, light and creativity, it's a very rigidly controlled creativity that my kids just don't go for ... and their development called for a very different approach to academics (f'rexample, all were completely fluent readers before the point where academics would be introduced to them via Waldorf).

Re: Wax und Uberwax -- probably way more than you wanted to know

[silvaerina-tael.livejournal.com]

I looked some of the PLANS stuff. I have to wonder if limiting the age at which children start reading to 8 or 9 years of age isn't a ploy, especially in light of the dogmatic approach to learning, to "channel" the kids intrests and critical thinking so they already know what is acceptible and true and what it not within the confines of the method. This would effectively put a stop to any questioning the child may have, especially if they already know what they should and should not be be looking at with regards to reading material. I also suspect that it stunts other things as well, but I don't know enough about the pratcices to know. Lets just say that I'm not impressed at all with this brand of "education" and views such as metagenitics tend to make me want to seethe.

Re: Wax und Uberwax -- probably way more than you wanted to know

[silvaerina-tael.livejournal.com]

Re my previous reply... Conditioning is what I was trying to say - that this method conditions the kids. I find it highly insideous.

Re: Wax und Uberwax -- probably way more than you wanted to know

[illuviel.livejournal.com]

I see that too and agree with your assessment and opinion, which is why I definitely didn't go there.

Though I like some of the accessories (see cool supplies above), the religion leaves much to be desired and I wished in no way to indoctrinate my children and myself into it.